LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It's not often you get a call from your local representative in Congress, but that's exactly what happened to many Louisville residents over the last week.
Congressman Morgan McGarvey (D, KY-3), who represents Louisville in Washington D.C., is testing a new way to reach out to constituents about the issues that matter most to them.
"This isn't a spam call, I'm just calling to get your feedback on a few of the things I've already started to work on," he said in a voicemail.
McGarvey has become accustomed to getting creative to make sure his constituents' voices are heard, dating back to his time in the Kentucky Senate.
Now, as a representative for the state in Congress, he's keeping that same mindset and already trying new tactics.
Residents received a voicemail from the congressman directing them to answer a short survey asking what issues most concerned them. McGarvey says so far roughly 4,000 Louisvillians have responded.
The top answers were fears over cuts to Medicare and Social Security, gun violence including in schools, and the continued impacts of inflation.
He said these responses will dictate actions he takes in the nation's capital.
"We've joined an anti-gun violence caucus to work on some of these issues. We've signed on some legislation like banning assault weapons, trying to push this forward, and trying to talk about it in a way that brings people together rather than push people apart, saying this is what matters to the people of my community in Louisville, Kentucky," McGarvey said. "And let's have an honest conversation about the fact that right now, we have kids doing active shooter drills instead of tornado drills. And what we can do about it."
McGarvey said when he was in the state Senate, it was at times easier to have this kind of dialogue. People felt they could email or call at any time.
He wants that same open relationship from the congressional office to the community.
McGarvey tells WHAS11 his team will continue to use different kinds of social media, and possibly even YouTube, to connect with folks in the community.
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